


Family At Last

by Maeve_of_Winter



Series: Finally Home [2]
Category: Fantastic Four (Comicverse), Fantastic Four (Movies 2005-2007)
Genre: Childbirth, Domestic Fluff, Family Fluff, Illnesses, Implied Mpreg, M/M, Married Life, Mpreg, Parenthood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-11-13 18:21:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11190720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maeve_of_Winter/pseuds/Maeve_of_Winter
Summary: Ben Grimm has always dreamed of having a family, and now he's started one with someone he never would have expected.





	Family At Last

**Author's Note:**

  * For [reeby10](https://archiveofourown.org/users/reeby10/gifts).



Ben was awakened from slumber by the sounds of his infant daughter beginning to fret. Quickly but cautiously reaching for the baby monitor on the bedside table, he switched it off, trying his best to be gentle to avoid damaging the device. But he needn’t have worried; like most of their home, the monitor was designed with his size and strength in mind, specifically suited to his needs.

 As Ben rose from the bed to move to the nursery, he cast a glance at Johnny, checking that he hadn’t been disturbed. Johnny appeared to be in a deep sleep, much to Ben’s relief. The pregnancy had been a difficult one, and Johnny needed all of the rest he could get at the moment.

 In the nursery, Danielle was feebly shifting and whimpering in her crib. Gently as he could, Ben reached inside and lifted her up, wrapping her in a blanket to protect her from the roughness of his stone-like skin. Once she was secure against him, Ben carried her out of the nursery and down the stairs, stopping by the kitchen briefly to retrieve a bottle from the fridge. Johnny had been too tired to breastfeed very much, and even if he had been in good health, Ben certainly wasn’t going to interrupt his well-earned sleep. 

 He then proceeded into the living room to sit down with Dani on the couch, noting the time. It was just past six o’clock in the morning, which meant the sun would be rising in just a few minutes. They would have a fantastic view of the daybreak, and the privacy glass on the windows of their ultra modern home would filter out any glare. Though their house was hidden away in the mountains, both for reasons of security and solitude, the entire team had convened to outfit it with the same level of groundbreaking technology as the Baxter Building. 

 While both Ben and Johnny missed the pulse and energy of the city occasionally, the two of them agreed their new home would be best for their small but growing family. Though he had been raised in New York City and lived there almost all his life, whenever Ben had thought of settling down, he had dreamed of bringing up his kids some place where they could be close to nature, where they could go hiking, biking, and fishing.

 Yet after the cosmic incident, he had wondered if he would ever be able to settle down, if someone would ever want the hulking golem of a man he now was as a husband. Part of the reason the alterations to his appearance had so devastated him was not only because of his complete loss of anonymity and the sheer freakishness of his new self, but because his hopes of having a family one day then seemed entirely unattainable.

 But he had found that someone after all, someone who was probably one of the least likely people on earth he ever could have pictured being married to.

 And after everything, in spite of all of the chaos and confusion and pain in his life, here Ben sat with a child who was named in honor of Ben’s fallen brother. His child and Johnny’s, the first of what he hoped would be several.

 “Morning, sunshine,” a familiar voice drawled, and Ben glanced up to find Johnny standing in the doorway.

 Ben studied his husband as the latter ambled over to the couch. Energy and purpose usually punctuated all of Johnny’s movements, but now his pace was slowed, his weariness evident. Dark circles rimmed his usually bright blue eyes that were atypically dull and tired, and his handsome face was drawn and pale. His slim but toned physique was now bordering on unhealthily thin, as he had lately been too fatigued to sustain much of an appetite. Seeing the obvious toll the pregnancy had taken on Johnny’s body, Ben was struck by guilt and worry. 

 “Shouldn’t you be restin’?” He asked in concern. “It’s awful early for you to be up, Matchstick. Why don’t you go back to sleep?” 

 “And miss the chance to show you how the sunrise pales in comparison to my good looks? I don’t think so.” In spite of his ill and worn appearance, Johnny kept his tone light-hearted. He gingerly settled on the couch, the movement clearly taking an effort.

 “I think what you really mean is that we’ll get to see how the mountains look small compared to your ego.” Even as he guffawed, Ben reached one arm around Johnny’s shoulders to draw him in close, holding Dani firmly in the other, taking care to be gentle with the both of them. “Talk to me, Johnny. How you doin’, really?”

 “Tired, but remember that Reed, Sue, and the other doctors said I should expect to feel that way for the first month.” Johnny carefully stroked the arm that Ben was using to hold Dani. “You’re so good with her,” he murmured fondly.  

 Ben appreciated the words more than Johnny could ever know. Throughout Johnny’s pregnancy, he had been preoccupied with worry the entire time. When he wasn’t stressed in regards Johnny’s health, which had declined as Johnny’s due date approached, various concerns had flitted through his mind as he panicked that he wouldn’t be a good father. He’d been paranoid his appearance would scare their baby, that with his enhanced strength, size, and skin he would somehow end up hurting their child. It wasn’t until he held his infant daughter in his arms, Johnny still in surgery, that Ben finally felt confidence in himself to be a parent, even as he worried for his husband’s well being.

 The memory brought Ben to briefly tighten his grip on Johnny’s shoulder. “We should ask Reed and Sue to come out here so they can check you out again. It don’t hurt to be careful. Besides, you know the two of them would love another chance to gush over Dani.” The first child to be born into their family, all of them doted upon Dani, but especially her aunt and uncle.

 Nuzzling against Ben’s cheek, Johnny pressed a kiss to his jaw. “We’ll talk later, okay? Let’s just enjoy the moment for now.”

 “All right,” Ben agreed, and they sat together as a family, holding their young daughter, watching a new day begin as the sun rose into the sky.


End file.
